Track-sanding device.



No. 658,494. Patented Sept. 25', I900. J. H. WATTERS.

IBACK SANDING DEVICE.

(Application filed July 21, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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TNE uonms PETERS co, womuma. WASHINGTON. n c.

-lTFED TATES I JOHN HENRY VVAT'IERS, OF ANNISTON, ALABAMA.

TRACK-SANDING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 658,494, datedSeptember 25, 1900-. Application filed July 21', 1900. v Serial No.24lfi40. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN HENRY WVATTERS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Anniston, in the county of Calhoun and State of Alabama,have invented a new and useful Track-Sanding Device, of which thefollowing is a specification;

The invention relates to improvements in track-sanding devices.

One object of the present invention is to improve the construction oftrack-sanding devices and to provide a simple, inexpensive, andefficient one designed to be employed on a locomotive and adapted toenable a track to be efficiently sanded without wasting the material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which will afford ready access to its interior for cleaning itshould it become clogged with gravel or for any other purpose.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement ofparts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a track-sanding deviceconstructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of theremovable inner tube.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the draw- 1ngs.

1 designates an approximately T-shaped casing consisting of a T-shapedcasting or coupling composed of a Vertical tubular portion 2 and anelbow or branch 3, extending outward from one side of the tubularportion 2, at the center thereof, and extended upward, as clearly shownin Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings. The elbow or branch 3 of thecasing has its upper end interiorly threaded at 4 for the reception ofthe lower threaded end 5 of a pipe or tube 6, which is designed toextend to a sand-box of the ordinary construction. The sand-box isdesigned to be provided with the usual valve mechanism for controllingthe passage of sand through the pipe or tube 6, so that the supply maybe cut off therefrom when desired.

posed of a tapered upper portion 8 and a cylindrical lower portion 9 andhaving an annular flange 10 at the juncture of the two portions.

The flange 10, which extends horizontally from the inner tube, isarranged on the exterior thereof and is adapted to be supported on asuitable seat 11, arranged within the lower portion of the casing. Thetapered upper portion 8 of the inner tube forms a contracted nozzle andextends slightly above the plane of the top of the opening at the lowerend of'the elbow or arm 3 of the casing, and when the sand is deliveredinto the pipe-or tube 6 it falls by gravity and collects within thecasing and remains practically on a level with the dotted lineillustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings, and as thecontracted upper portion of the inner tube 7 extends above the openingof the lower end of the elbow or arm 3 the sand will not by gravity flowthrough the inner tube 7 and be dischargedupon the track.

p In order to effect a discharge of the sand, an air-inlet tube 13 isextended through an opening of the elbow or arm ata point below the topof the opening 14, so that the projecting nozzle 15 of the air-tube willlie below the level of the sand and below the plane of the top ofv theopening, so that when a blast of .air is delivered into the casing thesand will be carried into the upper portion of the vertical branch ormember of the casing and will fall through the inner tube and bedischarged upon the track. By this means the sand is efficientlydelivered upon the track uniformily, and it is prevented from flowingtoo rapidly, so that it will not be uselessly wasted, but will beeconomically expended. r

The interior seat 11, which may be constructed in any suitable manner,is preferably formed by a short tube 16, having an upper threaded end 17fitting within and engaging interior screw-threads of the lower end 18of the vertical portion or member of the casing. The upper end of thevertical portion or member of the casing is exteriorly screw-threadedfor the reception of a removable plug 19, having a polygonal portion 20,adapted to be engaged by a wrench, whereby the plug may be readilyremoved to afford access to the interior of the casing, so that thelatter may be cleaned, should it become clogged, by gravity. The annularopening around the tube 7 is of awidth less than the diameter of theupper end of the said tube 7, so that anything which passes into the upper portion of the vertical portion or member of the casing will bedischarged through the tube 7 and will not clog the same. When the plugis removed, the inner tube, which forms a valve or cut-ofi to preventthe sand from flowing directly through the casing, may be taken out.When it becomes necessary to clean out gravel from the device, it willall pass out through the same to the rails and no sand will come incontact with the machinery of a locomotive.

It will be seen that the track-sanding device is exceedingly simple andinexpensive in construction, that it is capable of economicallyexpending the sand and of preventing the latter from flowing freelythrough the tending to the top of the opening of the arm and adapted toprevent sand from passing directly through the casing, and an air-tubecommunicating with the casing and adapted to force the sand above theinner tube or nozzle, substantially as described.

2. A track-sanding device comprising a casing having an arm designed tobe connected with a sand-box, an inner tube arranged within the casingand extending to the top of the opening of the arm, and an air-tubeextending through the arm and provided with v a nozzle located withinthe arm at a point below the upper end of the inner tube and adapted toforce the sand into the upper portion of the casing to cause the same tobe forced through the inner tube, substantially as described.

3. A track-sanding device comprising a casing consisting of a verticaltubular portion, and an arm extending from the same at one side thereofand designed to be connected with a sand-box, an inner tube arrangedwithin the vertical portion of the casing and extending above theopening of the arm, and an air-tube extending into the lower portion ofthe arm at a point below the upper end of the inner tube, substantiallyas described.

4. A track-sanding device comprising a casing consisting of a verticaltubular portion having an interior seat, and an arm extending upwardfrom the vertical tubular portion at a point between the ends thereof,an inner tube supported upon the said seat and extending to the top ofthe opening at the lower end of the said arm, and an air-tube extendinginto the casing, substantially as described.

5. A track-sanding device comprising a casing consisting of a verticaltubular portion, and an arm extending upward from one side of thevertical tubular portion, a lower tube extending intothe lower end ofthe vertical tubular portion of the casing and forming a seat, aremovable inner tube extending to the top of the opening of the lowerend of the arm and provided between its ends with a supporting-flangearranged upon the said seat, a plug closing the upper end of thevertical portion of the casing, and an air-tube 3 extending into thecasing, substantially as described.

6. A track-sandin g device comprisingacasing having a seat and providedwith an arm designed to be connected with the sand-box, .an interiortube having a tapered upper portion and provided with a flange arrangedupon the said seat and means for forcing the sand through the innertube, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN HENRY WATTERS. Witnesses:

H. A. YOUNG, W. C. TUNSTULL, J r.

